1 Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to systems and methods for measuring the physical characteristics of soil. More particularly, the present invention relates to systems and methods for collecting data representing the spatial variability of the physical characteristics of soil for use in precision farming.
2 Present State of the Art
Precision farming is intended to enable farmers to optimize their operations such that crop yields are maximized. There are many different factors that have a bearing on crop yield including the amount and type of fertilizer applied to the crops, the amount and type of pesticides and herbicides applied to the crops, the amount of irrigation that the crop receives, the machinery used to cultivate and grow the crop, expenses incurred to produce the crop and the like.
In particular, the physical condition of the soil can have a significant effect on the crop yield in both an agricultural and a financial sense. Agriculturally, the physical condition of the soil is related to environmental problems such as erosion, contaminated water runoff, over-watering, excessive use of fertilizers and pesticides, over-tilling, and the like. Thus, an understanding of the physical characteristics of the soil can assist in determining how agricultural factors, such as fertilizer or water, may be spatially varied such that the resources are utilized more efficiently.
Financially, it is costly to obtain a map of the physical characteristics of the soil in a field. Conventional methods include physically collecting soil samples that are sent to a lab for analysis. Unfortunately, samples taken in this manner each represent relatively large areas. Often, a single soil sample is taken for every one to four acres and because soil conditions can vary widely over short distances, this method only provides a crude map of the physical characteristics of the soil in addition to being costly.
Another sampling method requires machinery that is explicitly designed to sense the conditions of the soil. This method requires the farmer to traverse the field an extra and unnecessary time with the special machinery such that the physical conditions may be measured. Traversing a field in this manner is expensive to the farmer and results in data that is still relatively crude. More specifically, these methods are costly, time-consuming and only provide limited data concerning the physical characteristics of the soil.
Precision farmers have come to realize, however, that an understanding of the physical characteristics of the soil can be used to reduce the expense incurred to cultivate the crop as well as increase the crop yield. The problem is being able to obtain an accurate measurement of those characteristics without increasing cost or otherwise interfering with crop development and growth. An understanding of the physical characteristics of the soil is particularly useful in xe2x80x9cno-tillxe2x80x9d farming. No-till farming is environmentally preferred for several reasons. Erosion can be reduced, fertilizer usage can be optimized, irrigation can be more effectively monitored, and the like.
The physical condition of the soil is therefore an important aspect of no-till farming operations. One of the problems associated with no-till farming, for example, is that the physical characteristics and crop residue that may be encountered near the surface of the soil can vary considerably. This variability has a direct effect on the condition of the furrows as well as on the depth that a seed is planted. In particular, wheel traffic can result in more dense soil. The density of the soil can have an affect on many aspects of farming. For example, when a particular crop is planted, it is often desirable to control the depth at which the seeds are placed in the soil. One of the problems associated with no-till farming is that the planter settings are typically fixed for the average condition of the soil and the planter will not perform optimally when other soil conditions are encountered. As a result, the crop yield is not maximized because the planting conditions are not optimized.
However, there is no affordable tool or system that is capable of sufficiently gathering information about the physical characteristics of soil. In order to effectively monitor or implement the physical characteristics into precision farming, it is necessary to have more specific data about the physical characteristics of the soil. What is needed are practical and cost effective systems and methods for better understanding and measuring the spatial variability of the physical conditions of soil. Understanding and managing the variability in soil conditions will also enable other aspects of precision farming to be improved and optimized.
The present invention relates to systems and methods for measuring the physical characteristics of soil. Accurate measurements of soil""s physical characteristics can be used to generate a map that represents the spatial variability of the soil""s physical characteristics. Understanding the spatial variability of soil characteristics is useful for precision farming because other agricultural inputs, such as fertilizer and water, can be spatially varied according the spatial variability of the soil. As a result, the crop yield is improved and resources can be used more efficiently. In addition, the expense of obtaining the data representing the spatial variability of the physical characteristics of the soil is minimal because the systems and methods of the present invention are preferably integrated with other farming operations.
The physical characteristics of soil include density and water holding capacity, which can be inferred by measuring the force required to pull or push machinery either through or across the soil. In one embodiment of the present invention, the force required to pull a farm implement, such as a plow, a planter or the like, is continually measured and collected as the field is traversed with the farm implement. As the force measurements are collected and recorded, a positioning system is used to identify and map the locations of each force measurement. The forces associated with the stored locations can be used to produce a spatially variable map that represents the spatial variability of the physical conditions of the soil. The amount of force is indicative of soil conditions such as texture, hardness, water-holding capacity, and the like.
In one embodiment, load sensors are integrated with a hitch pin that secures a draw bar to a tractor or other machinery. The load sensors measure the force against the hitch pin as a tractor pulls farm machinery through or across the ground or soil of a field. The force measured by these load sensors is recorded along with a position provided by a global positioning system. Because a position is associated with each measured force, the spatial variability of the force can be mapped and the physical characteristics of the soil can be inferred and used to support precision farming. Often, the resulting map is used as a factor by a decision support system which takes into account many factors when rendering a decision relating to the crop yield.
In one embodiment, the hitch pin may be incorporated as part of a tractor. The hitch pin may be connected to a draw bar of a tractor or the hitch pin may be incorporated with the three point hitch system of other tractors. The present invention, however, is not limited to agricultural equipment, but can be implemented with other machinery, such as construction machinery, to measure soil characteristics. For example, a grader or bulldozer may utilize the systems and methods of the present to measure the soil characteristics of the applicable surface or soil.
Additional features and advantages of the invention will be set forth in the description which follows, and in part will be obvious from the description, or may be learned by the practice of the invention. The features and advantages of the invention may be realized and obtained by means of the instruments and combinations particularly pointed out in the appended claims. These and other features of the present invention will become more fully apparent from the following description and appended claims, or may be learned by the practice of the invention as set forth hereinafter.